I can lead things

As a matter pride for the nation, over five women in the list are Indians. These resilient Indian women have risen through times and carved a niche for themselves in their respective fields, not only garnering praise in India but also hogging limelight around the world.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited

Born on 23 March 1953, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bengaluru and the chairperson of IIM-Bangalore.

The 64-year-old was the only woman to study Malting and Brewing course in Australia’s Federation University as early as 1974. She switched jobs in Melbourne, Kolkata and Baroda, before getting the opportunity start a joint venture with Ireland’s Biocon Biochemicals Limited. She was given the responsibility to establish its Indian arm. What began as its operations in India in the garage of Kiran’s rented house in Bengaluru in 1978, today is ruling the biotechnology scene in India. Her successful reflects on how she was single-handedly able to get independent control of the biotechnology company in a matter of 20 years.

Inspired by the need for affordable drugs in third world countries, she has developed cost-effective techniques and lower-cost alternatives for affordable healthcare. She supported the development of Arogya Raksha Yojana with Devi Shetty of Narayana Hrudayalaya to establish clinics to offer care, generic medicines and basic tests for those who cannot afford them. In 2010, over 300,000 were treated by these facilities per year.

The death of her best friend and illnesses of her husband and her mother with cancer, motivated her to establish a 1,400-bed cancer care centre, the Mazumdar-Shaw Medical Foundation, at the Narayana Health City campus in Bangalore in 2009.